Pro choice but changed mind

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I have a friend who is a cradle Catholic, but until recently was pro-choice. She fell for the usual stuff that some politicians say, about touting “Freedom” and how it wasn’t the government’s place to tell people what to do, especially when those people may not be Christian. (I think inwardly, she was always uncomfortable with it and never would have had one herself). Blessedly, she has, however, changed her mind and now embraces the pro-life position. Yay, right? Her question to me however, was does she need to go to confession specifically to confess the fact that she used to be pro-choice? I wasn’t sure if a “feeling” or “opinion” could actually be a mortal sin. If so, does she need to go right away, or can this be mentioned the next time she goes? To be clear, she says has never had an abortion or participated in one or helped anyone have one (I have no reason to not believe her).
 
Rachel126 said:
I have a friend who is a cradle Catholic, but until recently was pro-choice. She fell for the usual stuff that some politicians say, about touting “Freedom” and how it wasn’t the government’s place to tell people what to do, especially when those people may not be Christian. (I think inwardly, she was always uncomfortable with it and never would have had one herself). Blessedly, she has, however, changed her mind and now embraces the pro-life position. Yay, right? Her question to me however, was does she need to go to confession specifically to confess the fact that she used to be pro-choice? I wasn’t sure if a “feeling” or “opinion” could actually be a mortal sin. If so, does she need to go right away, or can this be mentioned the next time she goes? To be clear, she says has never had an abortion or participated in one or helped anyone have one (I have no reason to not believe her).
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If I were your friend, I’d go to confession for good measure. As for it being a mortal sin, I would think that would depend on whether she had full knowledge of it being a sin, and it doesn’t sound like she did, but that is up to a priest to decide. It’s always great talking to a priest to make sure you have a clean slate and peace of mind 👍
 
Her expressing that opinion could have reaffirmed other pro choicers and further blinded them from the truth. Also that thing about causing our neighbor to stumble, we know what Jesus said about that.

In my feeble opinion, Id want to go to confession.
 
In order for a sin to be mortal, it must meet three conditions:

Mortal sin is a sin of grave matter
Mortal sin is committed with full knowledge of the sinner
Mortal sin is committed with deliberate consent of the sinner
 
Ideally, we’re all going to Confession frequently, so “the next time she goes” isn’t that far away. 🙂

Encouraging someone to go to Confession is always a good idea (unless they are suffering from scrupulosity and are already receiving guidance from the priest where he tells them to only go to Confession at certain intervals). Whether or not she sinned and whether or not she sinned mortally, if she goes to Confession, she’ll know it is taken care of. If it turns out not to be sinful, then she still receives forgiveness for her other sins. And if it was sinful, then she’ll be forgiven for this sin and her other sins. It’s a win-win.
 
Rachel126 said:
I have a friend who is a cradle Catholic, but until recently was pro-choice… Blessedly, she has, however, changed her mind and now embraces the pro-life position. … Her question to me however, was does she need to go to confession specifically to confess the fact that she used to be pro-choice?
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We can confess anything that we have thought, believed, or done or not done - meaning we can tell God in the Sacrament of Confession that we are sorry for offending Him in all ways.

If she feels sorry for having offended God in believing that killing babies in the womb was right and now sees that all life is from God and all life is precious, see can seek God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession.

If she has shared with others why she felt abortion was acceptable, she can ask God’s forgiveness of that, too. She may have lead someone down the trail of the Culture of Death in helping them believe abortion is acceptable.

She will feel a lifting of her soul as she asks God Sacramentally to forgive her of her former misguided believe in accepting abortion as just and if she helped others to form their conscience towards the Culture of Death.

Praise God for her gift in Hearing God’s Calling to Life. Praise God for good friends like you.
 
I can only tell you my experience. Before my conversion I was rabidly pro choice. My wife and I were squarely in the “I wouldn’t have one, but other should be allowed to” camp. Since I was raised in a faith tradition that allowed abortion as a “regrettable, but sometimes nessicary choice” I technically did not commit a mortal sin. I still confessed it because it is offensive to God.

Think of it this way. Let’s say you make an off hand comment to a friend. You aren’t meaning to hurt her, but find her crying later that day. You ask her what is wrong and she says that your earlier comment hurt because x, y, z. Would you blow it off since you weren’t meaning to hurt her or would you say something like “oh my gosh, I am so sorry; I didn’t mean to hurt you. Please forgive me.” The second response is how I felt when I confessed it. I didn’t mean to offend God, but I still did so I should say I’m sorry.

Is she required to; probably not (though as a Catholic she should know better). But would it hurt, certainly not. If nothing else she denied the teaching of the Church which is a problem in of itself.
 
I don’t know if she was in sin or not while being pro -choice. However if she influenced others to be pro-choice she could have been. It’s best for her to partake of the Sarcament of Reconciliation. I’m happy for her! The Holy Ghost is awesome.
 
Because of the sensitive specifics that each person has with these types of sins, I believe it is best for her to discuss it privately with her confessor to discern whether or not she was in sin.
 
I’m on the bandwagon with most everyone else; it never hurts to bring it up to one’s confessor and/or spiritual director. Does she have a spiritual director? Finding one and talking with her/him could bring her some catharsis.
 
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